


Even in the dark, you shine brightly

by modelingbonds



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-05 18:49:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15869598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/modelingbonds/pseuds/modelingbonds
Summary: Yet, something about the way Subaru had been more affectionate lately seemed to make his heart ache in a way that he couldn’t quite place. Subaru, in general, was very open with his love for others, but it feels like he spills his affections to Makoto several hundred times a day while showering him in clingy hugs. He loves it, his heart soars every time he thinks about spending time with him.But then, the realisation hits him. He’s in love with his best friend.





	Even in the dark, you shine brightly

He knew how bad of an effect the dark had on him, even if Subaru never told him.

  
Makoto’s fairly sure that’s the reason his friend asks him if he wants to hang out together on the nights where he’s left home alone for various reasons. The loneliness must feel unbearable for him considering his past-- the darkness feeling as though it was swallowing him whole and extinguishing the bright, sparkling light of his soul.

  
He had always planned to stay up watching movies with Makoto. Nothing too extreme, just the two of them sitting around and munching on some popcorn while watching superhero movies they decide to rent from the DVD store in town. It was surprising to find out Subaru enjoyed them, despite the associations of his overbearing and overly-affectionate senior that seemed to weigh him down. He always looks so excited when the hero overcomes their problems and defeats the villain. Those sky-blue eyes twinkling in wonder, not missing a single second of the action. He’s much more exciting to watch than the movies, in Makoto’s opinion.

  
It’s another one of those nights where he’s been invited over. This time, his mother is out on an overnight business trip and left him alone with some money for pizza. Makoto is glad he’s always the one Subaru calls to hang out with, it makes him feel loved-- like he means something to his dearest friend. Their movie had finished a few hours ago, and they had shut off the TV and said their respective goodnights.

  
Except, Makoto couldn’t manage to fall asleep consistently. He drifted in and out of dreams, never managing to sleep for longer than what felt like a few minutes. Makoto’s thoughts were constantly flooded with Subaru. That cute laugh, his smile, all the wonderful times they’ve had together. He wasn’t actively thinking about it at all, which bothered him the most about it. While he loved thinking about his best friend and how much wonderful time they’ve spent together, it was a thought that sat at the back of his brain, constantly eating away at him and refusing him the sweet relief of sleep he was craving after a long day. He needed to get plenty of rest-- his sleeping schedule was already bad due to the summer break, and school is due to start soon.

  
Yet, something about the way Subaru had been more affectionate lately seemed to make his heart ache in a way that he couldn’t quite place. Subaru, in general, was very open with his love for others, but it feels like he spills his affections to Makoto several hundred times a day while showering him in clingy hugs. He loves it, his heart soars every time he thinks about spending time with him.

  
But then, the realisation hits him. He’s in love with his best friend.

  
Makoto swallows thickly, staring blankly at the back of the couch. He had already came close to destroying his friendship with Anzu over his crush just a few weeks ago. It’s not his fault Subaru was so bright and funny and sweet! Subaru was like the sun, shining brightly upon him on his darkest days, shielding him from his crazy obsessive senior. He couldn’t live without that constant, eternal brightness from just his personality alone.

  
He wasn’t just the sun, but Makoto’s sun. The center of his universe, the most important thing to him that wasn’t a material object. He wished he could show it in a more obvious way… as much as he disliked those cheesy romance films his mother keeps in the house, he wants to live a life like that. Dancing together in the kitchen in the morning while cooking breakfast, snuggling on the couch after a long day of idol activities, just thinking about living such a sweet and domestic life with the person he’s closest to made his heart ache.

  
What would happen if he found out his feelings? His blood ran cold immediately at the fleeting thought. Almost everything could go wrong here, and it wasn’t hard to imagine how poorly things could go. He could lose everything-- his smile, his laugh, his little affectionate hugs… they would all slowly start to disappear until they were all gone. He couldn’t live without Subaru, could he? It would hurt to live a life without someone as bright as him… surely, he would move on eventually, but it would be difficult, and very harsh on him.

  
His thoughts were interrupted with a weird noise, something akin to sniffling? It was too late for it to be Daikichi, of course. Subaru let him out before the movie started because he was getting too worked up and demanding attention from Makoto while he attempted to set up the TV. The little guy was probably enjoying his night outside in his kennel or something, rather than harassing him further.

  
“Akehoshi-kun?” He whispers into the darkness. The sound of shuffling, and he can make out the faint shape of the blankets moving. “Are you okay?”

  
“Yeah.” It’s by far the least convincing affirmation he’s ever heard in his life. His voice was trembling and he sounded weak. Sure, Subaru had gotten emotional and negative before, it wasn’t something completely new to him. He had never sounded his bad before. “It was just a bad dream, I-I’m fine.”

  
“You don’t sound fine…” He swallows his nerves again. “I’m coming over, okay?”

  
Subaru doesn’t respond while Makoto is getting up. He maneuvers carefully around the bags tossed carelessly on the ground from earlier, and kneels beside the couch, careful to avoid anything he can’t see without his glasses. In the dark he could hardly make out what Subaru looked like, but he could tell he was crying.   
“Ukki…” He sniffs again, wiping a tear away. “I-I know this is kind of childish of me, but… can you stay with me?”.

  
Caught off-guard isn’t the way to describe how he feels about this. Everything inside his body was screaming at him to say yes, to climb under that blanket and let Subaru rest in his arms. Something felt heavy in his chest. He wants this, he knows he does, but he doesn’t know how to get the words out. Makoto takes a deep breath, mentally preparing himself so he doesn’t say anything stupid or embarrassing.

  
“Yeah, of course.” Cringing internally at the way his voice cracks, he offers him a smile he knows Subaru won’t see in the darkness. That’s the great thing about the darkness, you can hide so many simple things within it’s cloak. It can change the entire context of a situation. He hopes it’s masking how much his heart aches for him right now. “Move over, I’ll join you.”

  
Subaru shuffles over and pulls the blanket up, and he climbs in beside him. His heart skips a beat when he feels his warmth pressing against him, an arm wrapping around his waist. The crook of his neck feels wet as Subaru’s tear-soaked face presses against him. He’s sure Subaru can hear how loud his heart is beating right now.

  
“Is this better..?”

  
Subaru nods.. “Thank you… I know it’s a… weird thing to ask of a friend…” His voice sounds choked up again. “B-But I needed someone right now…” Tears are still flowing, his breathing ragged. “Sorry…”

  
“Hey, no, it’s alright! You’re fine, Akehoshi-kun, I promise...” On impulse, a hand starts carding through the orange locks in a soothing way. “You don’t have to talk about it.”

  
A few moments of silence pass between both of them. Subaru’s breathing regulates, and he wipes away his tears with the sleeve of his hoodie. He feels like his chest is going to explode like this, no, he feels like he will explode like this. Subaru seems comfortable, having shifted up to be at eye-level with Makoto. He could feel his breath against his lips ever so slightly, and he was having trouble not focusing on the soft curve of them that he can barely make out.

  
“Ukki, I’m glad you’re here with me.” Subaru’s voice is hushed, as if he’s telling him a secret meant for his ears only. “You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, you know?” The arm wrapped around his waist pulls away, hand moving up to caress his face. His fingers are smooth against his cheek.

  
His heart began to race again, and Makoto could feel the heat racing to his cheeks. Yet, he didn’t want to say anything. The exhaustion had caught up with him enough that he didn’t want to vocalise his fear of affectionate gestures, and he was drunk off the feeling of pure love that emanated from Subaru right now. Makoto had never thought that someone would be this affectionate with him, showing him something he had lacked in his life for so long until now.

  
“I love you.”

  
Makoto’s heart was running in overdrive right now, all because of three simple words that trickled from his friend’s lips like honey. His brain felt like it was an overheating laptop, the fan whirring violently in a fruitless effort to get him to cool down and get the situation under control. The words stuck in his mind hard. Subaru loving him meant something new, something wonderful, something he absolutely wasn’t expecting from him at all and--

  
Subaru giggles. A delicate and sweet sound, despite how unstable his voice sounds from crying. “Are you having a meltdown, Ukki? I’m sorry~ that was a bit sudden of me, wasn’t it?”

  
He feels lips press against his the moment he even thinks about opening his mouth to reply, and arm draping around his neck to pull him deeper. Makoto feels his entire body melt into Subaru’s, their closeness allowing them to merge into one for a second. The thought hits him when the lips pull away and his chase desperately-- Subaru is all he wants in life. The dazzling, kind best friend he has known since his first year of school is everything he needs.

  
“I love you too, Akehoshi-kun.”

**Author's Note:**

> subamako is good. alexa send tweet


End file.
